By: Joanna Chadwick

Whenever people talk about the prototype player in programs with great culture, senior Mason Anderson should come to mind.

Anderson has gone from being a good freshman team player to a junior varsity starter as a sophomore to a role player as a junior and now is one of the best all-around players in the Wichita area. 

While it’s probably true that not everyone saw this type of potential from Anderson, that never stopped the senior from consistently working. 

“I think my jump is just from constant workouts, whether that is on the court or in the weight room to get my body and jump shot right the whole offseason preparing for the season,” Anderson said. 

Anderson’s “big jump” may seem like only four points on the stat sheet, but he is one of those players who always has a bigger impact than what appears statistically.

The senior’s main job was to come in as a shooter and defensive hound his junior year. This year, he has the same role, except now he is running around guarding the opposing team’s best player night in and night out. 

“I have always thought of it as, that if you play hard on the defensive side, the offensive side will be rewarded in return boosting my confidence from doing all the little things to help the team win,” Anderson said. 

With multiple 20-point outings, and a complete turnaround of the season recently with the Panthers clicking at the right time with state around the corner, Anderson’s mindset and leadership has been huge for the Panthers. 

“My mindset during the games is to lock in on our scouting report and try and be as calm as possible,” Anderson said. “I can’t let myself get sped up or else that could lead to costly mistakes. I make sure I lift all my teammates up no matter the outcome because at the end of the day, it’s way more than just basketball.”